Not Forgotten
by jayfeather-is-awesome
Summary: After getting out of Aperture Chell needs to find a way to survive in the real world. She has no money, and can't speak. She has a very vague memory of her life, but high spirits. Yet she misses Wheatley, when she gets a place to stay with strangers her life goes out of control again. Better Summary Inside.


**Better Summary: Chell escaped from Aperture unscathed, but lost her friend. She can't remember her past apart from her testing, doesn't know much about the modern world, and has to try to make a way while being mute. When helped by a kind stranger and his wife Chell feels normal, until a certain somebody shows up. **

**Please no flaming with this story! I've only played portal two, but read and watched a walkthrough of Portal to get the story in my head. I've changed a few things and such, such as Chell's memory, I wasn't sure what she OCULD remember, but I feel as if she wouldn't know anything about modern technology apart form the testing lab. **

**So ONWARDS! Please Read and Review!**

**~X~**

Chell winces as the harsh wind blew the long stalks of wheat into her eyes, and she flailed out with her arms, batting them away frantically. She took another shaking step, her feet yearned to stop moving, to stay still and rest, but she couldn't. Couldn't stop, she couldn't. It was the nighttime, judging by the giant abyss of stars in the sky above her head. Chell didn't know how long it had been since she had gotten away from Aperture, and lost Wheatley. Sure, he had betrayed her, but when he was begging her to grab him as the both of them were getting whisked into space Chell had known how sorry he was.

She would admit it, she was hurt by his betrayal, so hurt, but Chell wanted to see him again, to forgive him, and to let him know she was sorry for letting him go. He had been her only friend down there. Even though he had been such a dork, such a messed up core, he had been her friend. Chell stopped and sat down abruptly. She wished she had her portal gun, it made her feel safe, yet she didn't have it. Chell's arms stung, tiny cuts littered them from the sharp wheat stalks. Her hair was a mess, tangled and frizzed to the very scalp. Her eyes were dull, almost colorless as she tilted her head up to look at the moon.

Was Wheatley up there as she sat? Was he up there, with the space core, fretting about how terrible it was now? Perhaps he was even thinking of her; assuming that he was still working, in space. Chell jumped as something wet hit her bare right arm and grabbed at it frantically. It was wet, a raindrop. Chell looked up, her eyes stretched wide. She hadn't seen rain before, or if she had she couldn't remember it. She could remember early testing, and she remembered defeating GLaDOS the first time. After that her mind was blank for a long period of time, then she could remember meeting Wheatley and getting back her portal gun. She remembered what happened up until the moment where she sat. From what Chell had caught onto from GLaDOS's rants she was adopted.

Chell of course knew what rain was, sure, she knew how it worked, but she didn't like it. She untied the sleeves of her jumpsuit and slid them on, zipping it up. She got back to her feet and looked up, blinking as the rain started to fall gently. She saw the moon, she couldn't believe she had accidentally shot a portal there; it was HER fault that her friend was gone.

A star was skimming across the sky, flying, sending a trail of light after if. Chell knew it was foolish, but she made a wish. She wished to have her friend back. That was she would be able to throw him hard on the ground to prove had mad she as, then hug his cold, metal sphere of a body. She continued to walk, and watched the shooting star fade away from her sight, as she glanced forward again.

When her feet hit something other than the bumpy grounded soil the wheat was planted in Chell nearly froze, her surprise was so great. The ground was hard, and looked black in the dark, but then again, everything did. Chell marveled at how it went in a perfectly straight line, yet seemed to turn as well. Chell bounced a bit on it, her feet hit the new ground hard, and she felt like her long jump boots would break if she jumped too hard. This was ridiculous of course, they weren't going to break.

Chell decided to follow this road thing, she bounded down it swiftly, expecting something to happen. For the longest time nothing did, then she heard a rumble, like a sort of broken machine. Light flooded her gaze as something large pulled into her view. It was approaching from the way she was going. Chell stood frozen as two beams of light hit her and she could make out a hunched shape. The lights must be its eyes. Chell waited for it to speak, but to her great surprise it gave a loud growl at her, suck as a honking. Chell opened her mouth in a yelp that she couldn't muster and jumped back a few feet, shaking. Then the side of the new beast opened; a door. Chell realized that this was not a monster, but a sort of transport device. Maybe it could make portals. The thought made Chell light up with hope.

"What are ye doing girl? Get outta my way!" grumbled a voice. Chell waited. A man lurched into the lights. He was taller than her, and was biting a long thing in his teeth, which appeared to be burning slowly. He wore a hat, made of straw, and a pair of overalls. Chell took a step back, wary of this man. He had a kind enough face, with a thin beard lining his jaw. If she were to guess, Chell would say he was in his mid fifties, and his eyes were dark.

Chell wanted to speak, but she couldn't, never was able to. She winced and bit her lip, taking another step back.

"Are you okay? Hurtin' anywhere?" asked the man, offering his hand to her, beckoning to her. Chell stayed exactly where she was. The man walked up to her instead. He reached out for her arm and Chell flinched, stumbling backwards. Her senses freaked out, she needed to get away. "I ain't gonna hurt you, here, let me help, can you speak?"

Chell shook her head, walking closer and letting the man set a hand on her shoulder.

"Why don't you come back with me? Me farm's only a bit away, you could get rested up, a change of clothes from me wife maybe?" he asked. Chell nodded, blinking, "Well come on then, you get in over there." said the man, directing Chell around the weird transport vehicle. She pulled on a small lever on the side of the thing and a door sprang open, almost hitting her. Chell slid into the high seat hidden within and shut the door manually.

"Can you write?" asked the man as the transport started moving. Chell clutched to the sides of her seat, scared for a moment. Could she write? Maybe, she hadn't tried; she knew she could read though. She gave a nod, assuming she could. The man smiled at her.

"That's good, simplifies things by a whole lot it does." he said, laughing merrily at her. Chell smiled briefly, and then gazed out the window provided in the door of the transport. She looked again at the moon.

Chell, as much as she would hate to admit it, was scared, and worried. She didn't know what to do. The transport thing rolled down the road, and soon enough, faster than Chell could have ever ran, a small house loomed into view. At least, it looked small when Chell first set her eyes upon it. As they pulled up in front of it though she realized it was a whole lot taller than first thought. It loomed over her head as Chell was told to exit the transport. She looked up at it. It had a slanted roof, held up sternly by four walls, and looked crimson, but in light, it was probably just red.

"'Tsa an old barn." Sniffed the man, looking proudly at his home, "Never introduced me self did I? Names Mark." He said, thrusting his hand out. Chell took it tentatively and shook it. "Would ask yours but, as you can't talk, it would be no use." He said. Chell smiled as their hands were brought away. "C'mon." he said, and Chell followed him through a door.

"Wendy!" called Mark, "Wendy! 'M back! Look, I've brought company!" he shouted. Inside it was warm. A bit ahead of Chell and to the furthest left wall was a long staircase, but she couldn't see what was at the top. A head of them laid a cozy looking fireplace, not lit, but illuminated by many electronic lights around. There was a simple TV set next to the fireplace, the screen was black, and in front of it was a couch, with a large animal on it. A dog, Chell recognized the dog as a German Shepard, yet wondered how she knew that. On either side of the couch was a small table, with lamps perched on it.

Right ahead of them, against the furthest wall, was a small kitchen, and the floor was all soft carpet, everywhere. A woman came bustling down the stairs. She wore an apron, and was wiping her hands on it, her blonde grey hair was tied up in a high bun, with strands falling around her face. She wore a plain red dress, but a happy smile.

"Welcome home love, who's this lovely lady?" she asked. The woman, Wendy apparently, grabbed Chell's hand and shook it.

"Dunno, she can't talk see." Mark said, clamping Chell on the shoulder. Chell nearly jumped, not ready for the physical contact. Her heart gave a scared jolt, but she composed herself mentally and shook Wendy's hand.

"Can you write your name for us, dear?" she asked. Chell nodded, she thought she could at least. Wendy walked over to the couch, grabbing something as the dog yawned and sprang up, bounding over to Chell. It sniffed her eagerly and Chell took several steps back, pressing her back against a wall and shaking her hand at the dog, telling it silently to stay back. To her surprise it did and Wendy walked back over, handing Chell a pen and paper. Chell frowned for a moment, then turned and pressed the paper to the wall, pushing the pen to it and writing shakily. C-E-L Chell frowned and scribbled it out, realizing that wasn't right, she took another try, C-H-E-L with a smile she held it out, then retreated and finished her name –L-.

Wendy looked at it and smiled.

"Chell? That's a lovely name, Chell." She said. Her comment made Chell smile brightly.

"What's you got for her clothes wise? She ain't going to fit in no-where with that jumpsuit." Mark said. Chell looked down at her orange suit, and frowned, hating at Aperture logo on it.

"That's no problem, follow me Hun." Wendy said, she took Chell's hands in her own and led her away. They walked up the stairs. At the top was a small hallway, with doors on either side, Wendy led Chell to the least one on the right. Inside was many old trunks, and dust coated many surfaces.

"They're my older clothes, I think they'll work nicely though." Wendy said, clicking a light on and opened the nearest chest. Inside were several old fashioned looking dresses, but also a few pairs of pants and shirts. Luckily Wendy handed Chell a very silky pair of blue pants, and a white lacy shirt. It looked old, but Chell was grateful never the less.

Rain could be heard ten minutes later as Chell walked down stairs, in her new garments and joined Mark and Wendy on their couch. She sat down awkwardly.

"Don't be so tense dear, where are you coming from?" Wendy asked, patting Chell on the knee gently and giving her the paper again, with the pen. Chell bit her lip wrote down the only thing she could think of without having to explain. 'I dont no.'

Wendy and Mark blinked, and then Wendy took the paper and corrected Chell's mistakes, changing it to 'I don't know.' Chell nodded and bit her lip again.

"Well, we won't press, eh?" asked Mark, placing a hand on Wendy's shoulder. Chell nodded and looked around awkwardly. She couldn't help but feel put out in this place, with normal people, it was too odd, after being around only Wheatley and GLaDOS for all she could remember. She couldn't even remember her parents.

Chell looked around some more, the rain was now pounding on the wooden barn, and Chell felt as if it were about to blow away at any given moment. It was just her being paranoid of course; she knew that such a large structure couldn't get merely swept away by a gust of wind, like a blade of grass to be flattened in a breeze. No, but Chell didn't like it at all, she felt exposed, live a nerve.

She felt like something was bound to happen soon that was going to change everything. But perhaps she was just tired, after all, how long had it been since she had a nice sleep?

**Please Review! Hope you enjoyed!**


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